Printing press



May 15, 1962 G. R. BRoDlE ETAL PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS GEORGE R. BRODIE BYWILLIAM B. RAYBUCK muLncndeJWn-nammmr Flled Aug 6, 1959 FIG. l

ATTO

May 15, 1962 G. R. BRODIE ETAL 3,034,429

PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 6, 1959 A 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GEORGE RBRODIE BYWILLIAM B.VRAYBUCK lama/nd,

May 15, 1962 G. R. BRoDlE ETAL 3,034,429

PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 6, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS GEORGE R. BROD BYWILLIAM B. RAYB ATTOR United States Patent C) i 3,034,429 G PV George R. Brodie, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, and William B. Rayhuck, Lansdowne, Pa., assignors to Fredk H. Levey Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 831,954 4 Claims. (Cl. MB1- 218) The present invention relates to rotary, web-fed printing presses for oifset printing and, more particularly, to improvements in the design and construction of such presses whereby the presses are made readily adaptable to the printing of pages of various lengths.

As well recognized in the printing art, offset printing presses of the rotary web-fed type include an impression cylinder, and at least one set of cooperating plate and blanket cylinders. A printing plate, usually of flexible sheet metal, is secured about the periphery of the plate cylinder. Dampening rollers and inking rollers operate in peripheral contact with the printing plate so as to apply Water and ink, respectively, to the plate. The ink image is applied by the plate to blanket, usually of rubber, secured about the periphery of the blanket cylinder operating in peripheral contact with the plate cylinder. The web passes between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder so that the image on the blanket is applied to the web.

In modern presses of this type, the printing plates are designed to print a number of pages arranged lengthwise and crosswise of the plate and separated by page margins.

For each revolution of the plate cylinder, a length of web equal to the circumference of the cylinder is consumed. For this and other reasons, it is desirable that the printing plate contain a maximum number of pages so as to economize in web consumption.

Where the printed pages are to be of uniform length, the press may be so designed and constructed as to provide a plate cylinder of a circumference equal to some even multiple of page length plus the intervening margins, and no particular problem is presented.

However, with modern high-speed presses, and especially such presses adapted to multi-color printing -where large capital investments are involved, greater versatility is desirable. It is especially desirable that the press be readily adaptable to the printing of pages of various lengths, for instance pages of ordinary book sizes as well as pages of large magazine sizes.

In presses designed for letterpress printing, where the image is applied directly to the web by the printing plate, it has previously been proposed to design and construct the press so that plate cylinders of dilerent diameters may be used interchangeably. However, this has not heretofore been practical in offset printing presses due largely to complications introduced by the intervening blanket cylinder.

It is a primary object of our present invention to provide an improved rotary, offset press of the web-fed type in which plate cylinders of various diameters may be readily inserted and used interchangeably and in which contacts between the cooperating cylinders may be readily and nicely adjusted to compensate for changes in plate cylinder diameter essential to high quality printing. This and other objects, as will hereinafter appear, are attained by our present invention.

The invention is especially useful with respect to presses designed for multi-color, offset printing but is also applicable to presses designed for mono-color ofset printing. lt will, of course, be recognized that, for multicolor printing, a separate set of cooperating plate and blanket cylinders will be provided for each color and that, for each plate cylinder, associated dampening and 3,034,429 Patented May 15, 1962 inking rollers must be provided. However, for the sake of brevity and simplicity, the invention will be more particularly described and illustrated with reference to a single set of plate and blanket cylinders and accessories thereto, it being understood that the apparatus more particularly described will be duplicated for each additional color.

In the design and construction of presses of the general type with which we are here concerned, it is, of course, usual practice to provide means for making minor adjustments of the contacts between the various rollers and cylinders. Those minor adjustments may include contacts between the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder and between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. Such minor adjustments also include the contacts of the dampening rolls and the inking rolls with the plate cylinder. As distinguished therefrom, we are here concerned with the interchange of plate cylinders of substantially different diameters, of instance, plate cylinders having circumferences ranging from 5l inches, or less, up to 58 inches or even 63 inches or more, as required by the work contemplated. To accomplish such change and to make the necessary adjustments required thereby, radical changes in design and construction have been found necessary.

As recognized by those versed in the art of oiset printing, the circumference of the blanket cylinder should be the same as that of the plate cylinder, in order to avoid what is known as ghosting Our invention also provides means whereby blanket cylinders of circumferences corresponding to that of the selected plate cylinder may be inserted and used interchangeably and the necessary contact adjustments readily made.

The invention will be more particularly described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent a particularly advantageous embodiment thereof and of which FIG. l is a vertical side view of a portion of a press adapted to multi-color printing, looking from line 1-1 of FIG. 2,

FlG. 2 is a vertical end view, partly in section, looking from the left of FIG. l, as indicated by line 2 2, and

lFIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged vertical section through the central portion of the press.

In the drawings, an impression cylinder is represented at 1, a blanket cylinder at 2 and a plate cylinder at 3. It will be understood that the paper web passes continuously about the periphery of the impression cylinder and is thereby brought into contact wtih a single blanket cylinder, in mono-color printing, or into successive contacts wtih a plurality of blanket cylinders in multi-color printing. In FIG. l of the drawing, we have indicated additional blanket and plate cylinders at 4 and 5, respectively. But, as previously noted, We shall describe the invention as applied to a single pair of plate and blanket cylinders and elements auxiliary thereto, in order to simplify the description, each additional color system being substantially identical with that which We shall describe.

Further, for brevity and simplicity, we shall refer herein to contact with, and between, the plate, blanket and impression cylinders. It will, of course, be understood that in operation the printing plate is aflXed to the periphery of the plate cylinder, a blanket is affixed to the periphery of the blanket cylinder and that the web passes between the blanket and the periphery of the impression cylinders. Also each of these cylinders is provided at each end with a bearer ring, as well understood in the art. More precisely, the contacts referred to are those between the bearer rings or with or between the printing plate, the blanket or the web passing about the impression cylinder.

As more clearly shown on FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawi ings, the. printing plate. secured` about the periphery of the plate cylinder 3 is first dampened with water, applied thereto by a roller 6 to which the water is conveyed from fountain 7 by means of rollers'8 and 9. Though a ap `roller is indicated at 8, it will be understood that any other type of water fountain roller may be so used in laccordance with the present invention.

After being dampened, as above described, the printing plate is thenV brought into peripheral contact with the inking form rollers 10, 11 and 12 to which ink is supplied from the fountain 13 over separate trains of inking rollers comprising fountain roller 14 and rollers 15, 16 and 17.

Varioustypes' of dampening and inking trains may be used in place of the specic arrangements shown. For instance the lowermost roller 15 may be a conventional oscillating ductor, a cylindrical brush or other suitable means for conveying ink from the -fountain roller 14 to the inking train.

As more clearly shownY in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the Vimpression cylinder 1 is rotatably supported `at each end by they press side-frames 18 and 19 by means of shafts 20 and journal boxes 21 rigidly mounted on the press side-frames. y

The plate cylinder 3 and the blanket cylinder 2 are likewise supported by means of shafts 22 and 89, respectively, extending through the journal boxes 23, the journal boxes associated with shaft 22 being rigidly mounted on the press side-frames.

The journals 23 are, with advantage, of the split type, the outer half being removable by removing the machine screws indicated at 24 to permit the removal of the respective shafts 89 and 22 therefrom. In accordance with conventional practice, the respective cylinders 1, 2 and 3 are also provided at each end with bearer rings indicated at 25.

By constructing plate and blanket cylinders of the various desired diameters but having identical shafts 89 and 22, the various plate and blanket cylinders may be used interchangeably, so far as the journal boxes are concerned. However, radical changes in design and arrangement of other elements of the press haveV been found necessary in order to permit the removal and replacement of the plate and blanket cylinders and to reestablish and adjust the contacts between the cooperating members.

So as to permit such interchange of plate and blanket cylinders, the blanket cylinder is, in accordance with our present invention, separately, rotatably supported at each end by an auxiliary frame or brackets, indicated at 26, supported by shafts 27 which, in turn, are pivotally supported by the press side-frames. Also, pivotally supported by one of the shafts 27, We have shown a rigid ,'crank. arm 28, to the outer end of which there is pivotally connected one end of `an adjustable, rigid linkage 29. The opposite end of this linkage is threaded into a collar member 30,adapted to lit over an eccentric, rotatable bearing sleeve 31 secured to shaft 32, the latter being rotatably supported by a press side-frame. The crank arm 28 is rigidly fastened to one of the blanket cylinder supporting brackets 26 by a ring indicated at 33 and bolts 34.

Instead of providing a separate crank arm, as shown, the crank arm may be constructed as an integral part of one of the brackets 26..

Thus by rotating shaft 32, the linkage 29 is moved longitudinally causing the crank arm 28 and supporting bracket 26 to swing about its pivotal point 27. i For accomplishing this, the shaft 32 is caused'to rotate -by any suitable means, for instance as shown in FIG. 1Y in the drawing, by means of an air cylinder 35 pivotally connected at 36to a press frame and provided with piston 37 pivotally connected at 38 to one end of crank arm 39, the other end of said arm being clamped about Ysaid shaftV 32.

Advantageously, theY linkage 29 is threaded into the 4 member 30 and also into lug 40 projecting from the arm 28, as shown, and provided with a key 41, the threads of member 29 being cut in opposite directions, so that by turning the member 29 adjustment in the length of the linkage and, consequently, the position of the axis of the blanket cylinder 2 is further adjusted.

Though it is usually desirable that the customary provisions be made for effecting minor adjustment of the position of the axes of rotation of the impression and plate cylinders, these axes may, in accordance with our present invention, be substantially iixed, adjustment of contacts between the respective cylinders being made by adjustment of the position of the blanket cylinder axis. For this purpose, -it is necessary that the -axis of rotation of the blanket cylinder be positioned a substantial distance to one side of the plane common to the axles of the impression and plate cylinders so that the distance between the axis of the blanket cylinder and the axes of the impression cylinder and the plate cylinder, respectively, may be changed by swinging the blanket cylinder about the pivotal point 27.

It will be apparent that where, for instance, plate and blanket cylinders of smaller diameters are used, it will be necessary to move the axis of the blanket cylinder closer to the said common plane in order to effect contact between the peripheries of the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder. This is accomplished by rotation of shaft 32, as above described. But this also necessitates an adjustment of the distance between the axes of the blanket and impression cylinders. To accomplish the latter, we provide at the pivotal points on shafts 27 eccentric bearings of which eccentric sleeve `42 is adapted to be rotated about the shaft to effect a change in distance between said pivotal point and the axis of the blanket cylinder and consequently a change in distance between the axes of the impression and blanket cylinders. Where a separate crank arm is used, as shown, it is also mounted on one of the eccentric sleeves. These eccentric sleeves may be rotated by conventional means, for instance, manually, by means of a pin adapted to t into a suitable socket in the sleeve.

Various means may be provided for adjusting the position of the dampening roller 6 to effect peripheral contact with plate cylinders of different diameters. For instance, the entire water train may be mounted on a track so as to permit it to be moved toward or away from the plate cylinder. However, the adjustment of the roller 6 may, with advantage, be accomplished, as shown particularly in IFIG. 3 of the drawing, by rotatably mounting cylinder 6 on one end of arms indicated at 43, rotatably mounted at their other ends coaxially With roller 9, said bracket 43 being provided with an arm 44 pivotally connected at 46 to a piston rod 47 actuated by air cylinder 48, pivotally attached at 49 to bracket 50 which is secured to the press side-frames by bolts 51 and by which the other elements of the water train are supported. By operation of the air cylinder 48, or by other suitable actuating means, the bracket 43 is caused to swing about its pivotal point through the interaction of the linkages described to effect the movement of roller 6 toward or awayfrom the plate cylinder 3 without change in the contact adjustment between rollers 6 and 9.

Similarly, Various means may be provided for eiecting movement of the form rollers 10, 11 and 12 to permit the interchange of the plate cylinder and to effect the necessary adjustment of peripheral contact between said rolls and the substituted plate cylinder.

Such movement and adjustment of the form rollers may, with particular advantage, be eiected as shown more clearly in FIG. 3 yof the drawings, by supporting the respective form rollers on brackets pivoted to swing about Vthe axis of the preceding inking roller or rollers of the train, as just described with respect to the dampening rollers, and actuated by any suitable means, for instance an air cylinder represented at 52 pivotally supported by a press frame at 53.

According to the design shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the roller is supported at each end by one end 0f a pair of brackets 54, pivotally supported at their other ends coaXially with roller 16 and provided with an arm 55 to the outer end of which there is pivotally connected an adjustable linkage 56, the said linkage being pivotally connected at its other end at 57 with linkage 5S.

The roller 11 is similarly supported by brackets 59 pivoted to swing about the axis of roller 17 and provided with arm 60 to the outer end of which there is pivotally connected an adjustable linkage 61, pivotally connected at its other end at 62 with the said linkage 58.

Likewise, roller `12 is supported by brackets 63 also pivoted to swing about the axis of roller 17 and provided with arm 64 pivotally connected at`its outer end with adjustable linkage 65, said linkage 65 being connected, as shown, with one end of linkage 66 which is secured at vits other end to shaft 67.

The linkage 66 is pivotally connected at a point intermediate its length, at 68, with one end of the above-noted linkage 5S and at its lower end, as previously noted, is secured to the shaft indicated at 67. By the linkages shown, the movement of the form rollers 10, -11 and 12 may be moved toward or away from the periphery of the plate cylinder 3 by rotating shaft 67 in the appropriate direction, either manually or by suitable mechanical means.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, 1EIG. 3, the rotation of shaft 67 is eected by means of linkage 69 secured at one end to shaft 67 and pivotally connected at its lower end at 70 to the air cylinder piston rod 71, shaft 67 being rotatably supported by a press side-frame.

`For nicety of adjustment, the linkage 69 is so constructed as to comprise a split yoke 72 clamped about shaft 67 by means of bolts indicated at 73, the arm 69, per se, being mounted to rotate freely about shaft 67. This element 69 is also provided with a lug represented at 74 positioned between the lower arms of the yoke. EX- tending through the respective arms of the yoke on either side of the lug are adjustment screws 75 iitted with lock nuts 76 whereby the position of the yoke relative to the linkage 69 may be accurately adjusted and secured so as to tix the approximate position of the respective rollers 10, 11 and 12 at the in and out positions, respectively, of the piston rod of air cylinder 52.

For a more precise adjustment of the respective rollers separately, the linkages 56, 61 and 65 are rotatably attached to the arms 55, 60 and 64, respectively, by means of rotatably mounted lugs 77, 78 and 79 through which the linkages are threaded and locked in position by the lock nuts indicated at S9, 81 and 82, said linkages being rotatably attached at their lower ends and provided at their upper ends with means to eect their rotation.

Though not essential to the present invention, we have found it advantageous to provide an adjustable, positive stop for the blanket cylinder when it is brought to the on impression position so as to avoid the consequence of any possible looseness at the pivotal point 27. For this purpose, the bracket arms 26 are provided with shoulders 83 adapted to cooperate, as shown, with set screws 84 which are threaded through bracket 85 secured to the press side-frame and which are provided with lock nuts 86. By this means, stability of the blanket cylinder in its adjusted position is insured.

Though not essential to the present invention, it has been found particularly ldesirable to drive the blanket cylinder directly from the impression cylinder by means of `cooperating spiral gears indicated at y87 and 88 secured to shaft of the impression cylinder and shaft 89 of the blanket cylinder, respectively, and positioned outside of the press side-frame, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The plate cylinder is, with advantage, driven from the blanked cylinder through spur gears indicated 6 Y at 9i) and 91 secured, respectively, to shafts 89 and 22 and positioned inside the press side-frame.

With the arrangement just described, the various plate and blanket cylinders to be used interchangeably will be equipped Iwith spur gears of identical pitch diameters equal to the diameters of the bearer rings and, therefore, will mesh satisfactorily when contact is made between the respective bearer rings and the two -cylinders will rotate at equal peripheral speeds.

The blanket cylinder unit is also yequipped with a spiral gear such as indicated at 88 of a pitch equal to that of spiral gear 87 secured to the shaft of the impression cylinder. The peripheral speed of the blanket cylinder must, of course, be maintained equal to that of the impression cylinder. To maintain this condition with a given impression ycylinder gear 87, it will be apparent that changes in the blanket cylinder circumference can be made only by circumferential increments equivalent to the pitch of the impression cylinder gear. Where some increment other than that just described is desired, it may be made by changing the impression cylinder gear to one which will permit the desired change in blanket cylinder circumference, as well understood in the art.

Adjustment of the plate and blanket cylinders for longitudinal and transverse register is, with advantage, accomplished, as more `clearly shown in FIG. 2 ofthe drawings, by hand wheels 92 and 93 by which longitudinal movement of the blanket cylinder and the plate cylinder, respectively, may be accomplished. The means by which this is accomplished is more clearly shown with respect to the blanket cylinder but applies equally to the plate cylinder.

That end of the bearing shaft of the blanket cylinder to which the driven gears are not connected is reduced in diameter at 94 to provide shoulders 95 and 96- between which there is positioned the roller bearing 97. The outer ends of this bearing are held between shoulders of a housing composed of an inner annular ring 98, a circular collar 99 and an outer plate 100 firmly held together by suitable means, for instance bolts indicated at 161. To the outer surface of the plate 100, there is amxed a socket member 102 Within which the inner end of threaded shaft 1%3 is rotatably held. The said shaft 193 passes through the journal housing 164 through a threaded opening at 105 adapted to cooperate with the threads on the shaft so that rotation of the hand wheel 92, through the elements just described, causes the blanket cylinder to move longitudinally by reason of clearance provided in the journal at the opposite end of the shaft, not necessary here to show.

A particular advantage of the arrangement just described is that by action of the spiral gears 87 and 88, longitudinal movement of the blanket cylinder causes a slight rotation of both the blanket cylinder and the plate cylinder for correction of longitudinal register, While the plate cylinder may -be independently moved longitudinally to adjust transverse register without change in longitudinal register.

It will be understood that the rollers of the Water train and the inking train, respectively, are driven in accordance with conventional practice, adjacent rollers being geared together by spur gears. More particularly, in accordance 4with our present invention, the dampening roller 6 is geared to and driven by roller 9, form roller 10 is geared to and driven by roller 16 and form rollers 11 and 12 are geared to and driven by roller 17.

By the arrangement herein described, whereby the rollers 6, 10, 11 and 12 are adapted to be swung in an arc about the aXis of the roller by which they are driven, adjustment of the position `of the rollers 6, 10, 11 and 12, respectively, to accommodate plate cylinders of derent diameters, does not disturb the meshing of the cooperating gears.

In view of the foregoing disclosure, it will be apparent that various modiiications in the design and arrangement of the particular elements shown may be made without 7 departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by 'th'e accompanying claims, and without loss of the benefits derived therefrom.

We claim: 1.V A rotary, Web-fed, offset printing press adapted to the use, interchangeably, of plate and blanket cylinders "of different diameters and comprising an impression cylinder, a blanket cylinder adapted to cooperate with said impression cylinder andV a plate `cylinder adapted to cooperate with the Iblanket cylinder, means for applying moisture and ink films to the plate cylinder, coaxial shafts extending from Veach end of the respective cylinders, said impression cylinder and said plate cylinder being rotatably mounted on parallel axes by their said coaxial shafts in Ycooperation with journals rigidly supported in substantially fixed position by the press side frames, separate means for supporting the blanket cylinder to rotate about "an axis positioned a substantial ydistance to one side of a plane common t-o the axis of the impression cylinder and 'the axis of the plate cylinder, said means comprising a pair of brackets, journals positioned in the respective brackets Vadapted to receive the shafts of the blanket cylinder and said brackets being pivotally supported by ,the respective press side frames, lsaid pivotal supports comprising eccentric journals adapted to vary the distance between the axis of the blanket cylinder and the axis vlof said pivotal supports and means independent of -press operation for swinging said brackets about their pivotal supports andrthereby, in a single operation, swing- 'ing the blanket cylinder further away from said plane and free from both impression cylinder and plate cylinder to permit removal and replacement of the blanket and plate cylinders and for swinging the blanket cylinder axis Yback toward said plane following replacement for re- Vestablishment of contact with the impression and plate cylinders.

' 2. A rotary, Web-fed, multicolor, oiset printing press Y yadapted to the use, interchangeably, of plate and blanket Vcylinders of different diameters and `comprising an impression cylinder, a plurality of blanket cylinders adapted to cooperate with said impression cylinder, a plate cylinder adapted to cooperate with each of the blanket cylinders and means for applying moisture and ink films to Veach of the plate cylinders, coaxial shafts extending from each endY of theV respective cylinders, said impression cylinder and said plate cylinders being rotatably mounted on parallel axes by their said coaxial shafts in cooperation with journals rigidly supported in a substantially fixed position by the `press side frames, separate means for supporting the respective blanket cylinders to rotate about axes each positioned a substantial distance to one side of a plane common to the axis of the impression cylinder and the axis of the plate cylinder which cooperates with the said blanket cylinder, said means comprising Va pair lof brackets, journals positioned in the respective brackets adapted to receive the shafts vof the blanket cylinder and said brackets being pivotally supported by the respective press side frames, said pivotal supports comprising eccentric journals adapted to vary the distance between the axis of the blanket cylinder and the axis of said pivotal support and means independent of press operation for swinging said brackets about their pivotal supports and thereby, in a single operation, swinging the blanket cylinder yfurther away from said plane and free from both impression cylinder and plate cylinder to permit removal and replacement of the blanket and plate cylinders and `for swinging the blanket cylinder axis back toward said plane following replacement for re-establishment of contact with the impression and plate cylinders.

pendent of press operation of an eccentric journal, and

means for rotating the yeccentric journal, thereby causing the brackets to swing about their pivotal supports.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the length of the linkage is independently adjustable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,029,239 Smith June 11, 1912 1,519,544 MCIndOe Dec. 16, 1924 1,590,742 Goulding June 29, 1926 1,855,212 Adsit et al Apr. 26, 1932 2,003,800 Barber June 4, 1935 2,356,058 Hunting Aug. 1,5, 1944 2,573,090 Beasley Oct. 30, 1951 2,598,414 Morse May 27, 1952 2,660,115 Ras Nov. 24, 1953 2,751,843 Faeber June 26, 1956 2,773,445 Wood Dec. 11, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION May 1%;962

Patent No. ,429

George R, Brodie et. al. L

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column l, line 23, before "blanket" insert a --5 column 2, line 19, for "of" read for column 8, lines 2 7 to 29, for "independent of press operation of an eccentric, Journal, and means" read of an eccentric journal, and

means independentl of press operation Signed and sealed this 25th day of September 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

